Counter-rotating gas turbine engine and method of assembling same
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsThomas Ory Moniz, Robert Joseph Orlando
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for assembling a gas turbine engine includes providing a first fan assembly including a plurality of rotor blades that are configured to rotate in a first rotational direction at a first rotational speed, rotatably coupling a second fan assembly axially aft of the first fan assembly, wherein the second fan assembly includes a plurality of rotor blades that are configured to rotate in a second rotational direction, and coupling a gearbox to the second fan assembly that is configured to rotate the second fan assembly at a second rotational speed that is different than the first rotational speed.
Claims15
A method for assembling a gas turbine engine, said method comprising:
- providing a first fan assembly including a plurality of rotor blades that are configured to rotate in a first rotational direction at a first rotational speed;
- coupling the first fan assembly to a first turbine rotor;
- rotatably coupling a second fan assembly axially aft of the first fan assembly, wherein the second fan assembly includes a plurality of rotor blades that are configured to rotate in a second rotational direction;
- coupling the second fan assembly to a second turbine rotor that is axially forward from the first turbine rotor;
- and
- coupling a gearbox to the second fan assembly that is configured to rotate the second fan assembly at a second rotational speed that is different than the first rotational speed such that the gearbox is coupled between the second fan assembly and the second turbine rotor.
A fan assembly comprising:
- a first fan assembly comprising a plurality of rotor blades configured to rotate in a first rotational direction and at a first rotational speed;
- a first turbine coupled to said first fan assembly;
- a second fan assembly comprising a plurality of rotor blades configured to rotate in a second rotational direction, wherein said second fan assembly is coupled axially aft of said first fan assembly;
- a second turbine coupled to said second fan assembly such that said second turbine is positioned axially forward of said first turbine;
- and
- a gearbox coupled to said second fan assembly such that said gearbox is coupled between said second fan assembly and said second turbine, said gearbox configured to rotate said second fan assembly at a second rotational speed that is different than said first rotational speed.
A gas turbine engine comprising:
- a first fan assembly comprising a plurality of rotor blades configured to rotate in a first rotational direction and at a first rotational speed;
- a first low pressure turbine rotor that is coupled to said first fan assembly;
- a second fan assembly comprising a plurality of rotor blades configured to rotate in a second rotational direction, wherein said second fan assembly is coupled axially aft of said first fan assembly;
- a second low-pressure turbine rotor that is coupled to said gearbox, at least a portion of said second turbine rotor is positioned upstream from at least a portion of said first turbine rotor;
- and
- a gearbox coupled to said second fan assembly, said gearbox configured to rotate said second fan at a second rotational speed that is different than the first rotational speed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.